Channel knife



D6133, 1929. QLIPHANT 1,738,019

CHANNEL KNIFE Filed May 4, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 3, 1929. H. G. OLIPHANT CHANNEL KNIFE Filed May 4, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet Patented 3, 19339 HENRY Gr. OLIPHANT, OF HOUSTON, TEXAE"), ASFAIGNOB OF ONE-THIRD T CHANNEL KNIFE Application filed May 4, 1928. Serial No. 2?5,192.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a channel knife.

One object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described to be used primarily, though not exclusively, on machines for stitching soles of shoes, and the in vention comprehends a novel type ofneedle plate, adjustable on the needle plat-c cap of the machine, a channel. knife adjustable on said plate and a guide adjustably mounted on the needle plate and readily removable therefrom when not in use.

Another objeet of the invention is to provide the combination with a needle plate, havinp a needle opening, and adjustably mounted on the needle plate cap and a channel knife adjustably mounted on the plate to the end that said knife may be easily adjusted into alignment with the needle opening. in case it gets out of such alignment, or may be adjusted into inactive position in case rubber soles, or other soles, not requiring a thread channel, are to be stitched.

A further feature of the invention resides in the combination of a needle plate, channel knife and. guide all adjustably secured in place on the needle plate cap by a common securing; means thus permitting; their inde pendent adjustment as required.

l With the above and other objects in view this invention relates to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 shows a plan view of the device with the guide removed.

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the knife and holder therefor.

Figure 3 shows a plan view of the needle plate cap with the needle plate, knife and guide removed.

Figure l shows a longitudinal sectional view thereof taken on the line l l of Figure 3.

Figure 5 shows a plan view of the complete device showing; the guide assembled therewith,

lligure 6 shows a side View thereof, and

Figure 7 shows a transverse sectional view talzen on the line 7-7 of Figure 5.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures the nun'ieral 1 designates the needle plate cap, of substantially conventional construction and contour and which is provided with the lateral ears 2, 2 by means of which the cap may be secured to the machine on which it is to be used. This cap has a lengthwise dovetailed groove 3 in its upper face wherein the needle plate d is slidably mounted. Lying in counter sunk recesses 5, 5 in the bottom of the groove 3 there are the flat springs 6, 6 secured at one end to the cap 1 and whose other ends press upwardly against the under side of the plate a and normally hold the plate against movement but permit its easy adjustment. One end of the needle plate projects out beyond the needle plate cap 1 and is arcuate and has the transverse oblong needle opening 7 therethrougrh.

The needle plate has a longitudinal dove tail groove 8 in its upper face extending from end to end thereof in which the knife holder 9 is fitted. The knife holder has a transversely disposed knife 10 thereon, opposite and in front of the needle opening 7. The knife holder has a bracket 11, preferably intep ral therewith, which overlies the plate a, and has an oblong slot 12 therein. A setscrew 13 is fitted through the slot 12 and through the elongated lengthwise slot 14; in the needle plate and is screwed into the tapped hole 15 in the needle plate cap 1. The upper end of this set screw has an enlarged head 16 which clamps the bracket 11 and needle plate l securely in position.

In case the knife gets out of alignment with the needle opening; 7 the set screw 13 may be loosened and the knife adjusted to proper alignment and in making such adjustment the knife holder will move freely in its groove but the needle plate will be held in place by the pressure of the springs 6. If, however, it becomes necessary to also adjust the needle plate the same can be easily adjusted, as the pressure of the sprin 6 is not eullicient to int with. such ad ustment.-

In stitching soles on shoes the shoe is moved, by hand, around the projecting end of the needle plate and the knife will cut a channel, or groove, around the bottom of the sole spaced inwardly from the margin thereof and the thread, by which the sole is sewed to the shoe will be buried in this channel, in the usual way. It is necessary, however, that the knife 10 be in exact alignment with the needle opening 7 for the needle and thread to follow said channel, hence the necessity for the knife adjustment referred to.

Sometimes soles are sewed onto shoeswithout the thread receiving channel being cut therein, as for example when rubber soles areused. In such case the knife holder and knife maybe either removed, or adjusted back out of the way. V In some characters oflwork it is desirable to use a guide against which the edge of the sole may run so as to secure a uniform seam. This guide is indicated by the numeral 17 and has its outer face convex as shown. The guide is attached to theouter end of the guide plate and having an oblong slot 19. This guide holder lies upon the bracket 11 and its slotreceives the set screw 13' withthe head: 16 thereof clamping said guide holder in place. The guide may be adjusted the proper distance from and inside of the knife 10 and needle opening One-edge of the holder 18 has a downwardiy turned finger 20 which runs in a lengthwise, groove 21 in the needle plate and prevents the lateral movement of. the guide. The edge of the shoe sole may be held firmly against saic guide, in sewing, and. the seam will be run at a uniform distance from the edge of thesole.

While I have shown what I now consider the preferred form of the invention it is obvious that mechanical changes may be made therein and equivalents substituted. for the parts shown and I reserve the right-to make such mechanical-l changes and substitutions as may be comprehended within the scopeof the appended claims.

- hat I claim is z 7 1. In combination a needle cap plate. having alongitudinal dovetailed groove therein forming a guideway, a needle plate mounted in the guideway and adjustable therein and having a needle opening and a longitudinal,

dovetailed groove forming a guideway, a knife holder adjustably mounted in the guideway of said plate, a knife carried by the said holder and associated with said opening, anda yieldable friction member between said needle plate and cap plate.

2. In combination a needle plate cap having a longitudinal guideway, a needle plate adjust-ably mounted in said guideway and having a needle opening, in'its outer end and also having a guideway, a knife holder ad justably mounted-in the guideway of said plate, a knife carried by said holder and associated with said opening, a guide spaced inwardly from said opening, and knife, and a common means attached to said cap and adapted to secure said needle plate, knife holder and guide in selected positions relative to each other and to the cap.

3. In combination a needle cap plate, a needle plate mounted thereon, said cap plate and needle plate being provided one with a guide and the other with a guideway, said guide and guideway forming means for permitting the longitudinal adjustment of the needle plate relative to the cap plate, said needle plate having a needle opening therein, a knife holder on the needle plate, said needle plate and knife holder being provided one with a guide and the other with a guideway, said last mentioned guide and guideway forming means for permitting the longitudinal adjustment of the knife holder relative to the needle plate, a knife carried by said holdor and associated with the needle openin and friction means between the cap plate and needle plate, said friction means normally ho ding the needle plate against movement relative to the cap plate but permitting the positive movement of said needle plate relative to the cap plate.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

HENRY G. OLIPHANT. 

